At the All-Star Break...thoughts?

[AUhawksfan]

32-24

Just curious of everyone's thoughts at this point. Honestly we're a touch better record wise than I thought we'd be at this point. At the same time, that record looks better to me than how I feel we've played this season if that makes sense.  I "feel" like we aren't quite as good as our record indicates.

Maybe it's the way we've lost certain games, maybe it's the way certain players have stunk up the joint that I was expecting more from (Baze, Delaney).  I was also expecting more from Prince at this point but I'm still optimistic about his future.  Either way I think it's clear to all of us that we need something extra regarding the wings, 3pt shooting, and on the bench. 

What does everyone else think to this point so far?

[Sothron]

I think we've got a better record than our talent shows but it isn't that far off. Paul, Dennis and Dwight are All-star to solid starter level. We need more from the other two starters and from our bench.

If the plan is to be competitive around Paul, Dennis and Dwight in that order of ranking of importance then we need some serious help at SF and backup PG and C.

Frankly I would ask the Knicks permission to talk to Melo and see if they could convince him to waive his NTC to come here. I absolutely think a motivated Melo with the rest of our team could push this team to at least an ECF appearance.

[Guest]

I agree that we have a better record that what we actually are as a team. We should probably be 29-27...around there. 

 

If we keep this roster going forward with no trades, we are lucky to get out of the first round imo. The question is what the heck are we doing. If we want to compete with the Cavs for real in the playoffs, it's prolly @TheNorthCydeRises...I mean Melo sorry..lol. We need a major piece added to compete with the Cavs.

 

If we want to retool, we might need a firesale, getting rid of everyone and anyone. As much as I love Sap, if the right deal comes along I'd pull the trigger. Same for Dennis and Dwight and whomever else.

[Guest]

So many emotions........

 

Not enough nights...

 

 

Most nights......

 

Other nights...

 

And then...

 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, JayBirdHawk said:

So many emotions........

 

Not enough nights...

 

 

Most nights......

 

Other nights...

 

And then...

 

Lmao...the first one makes me wanna wear a cape in good cape season. And the last one describes me on about 10 nights this year when the Hawks lost some funky games or just downright got their a$$es handed to them. Lol. 

[macdaddy]

51 minutes ago, Sothron said:

I think we've got a better record than our talent shows but it isn't that far off. Paul, Dennis and Dwight are All-star to solid starter level. We need more from the other two starters and from our bench.

If the plan is to be competitive around Paul, Dennis and Dwight in that order of ranking of importance then we need some serious help at SF and backup PG and C.

Frankly I would ask the Knicks permission to talk to Melo and see if they could convince him to waive his NTC to come here. I absolutely think a motivated Melo with the rest of our team could push this team to at least an ECF appearance.

Truer words have never been spoken.

[Ropadope]

I'm pretty down on the Hawks right now.  And the worst things is, I don't know a remedy for change anytime soon. It's just not a team that's fun to watch and they are not a team on the upswing as far as talent. We could blow up this entire roster...all 15 spots.....and I wouldn't blink. I don't feel any glowing optimism about anyone we currently have. 

[macdaddy]

6 minutes ago, Ropadope said:

I'm pretty down on the Hawks right now.  And the worst things is, I don't know a remedy for change anytime soon. It's just not a team that's fun to watch and they are not a team on the upswing as far as talent. We could blow up this entire roster...all 15 spots.....and I wouldn't blink. I don't feel any glowing optimism about anyone we currently have. 

I'm with you but i'll take the challenge.    We have a very good PG and an exceptional front court.   Those are usually the harder spots.   If we just had wings that could shoot the 3 then we'd be much improved.   If we actually had a true scorer then we could make some noise.

But the total offensive black hole that is our 2/3 is killing us.

[Ropadope]

2 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

I'm with you but i'll take the challenge.    We have a very good PG and an exceptional front court.   Those are usually the harder spots.   If we just had wings that could shoot the 3 then we'd be much improved.   If we actually had a true scorer then we could make some noise.

But the total offensive black hole that is our 2/3 is killing us.

We're forcing Paul into being a lead man and he hasn't had the luxury of letting the game come to him. The ball seems to stick in his hands lately too as he has to try to create something out of nothing.  Just don't know where the fluidity of offense has gone. The ball doesn't move like it should. And the perimeter defense.....geeeeeeez!

[Sothron]

8 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

I'm with you but i'll take the challenge.    We have a very good PG and an exceptional front court.   Those are usually the harder spots.   If we just had wings that could shoot the 3 then we'd be much improved.   If we actually had a true scorer then we could make some noise.

But the total offensive black hole that is our 2/3 is killing us.

This is what gets me the most. We've done the hard work in having a good PG to go with two good front court players. If we got anything like consistent average play from our SF and SG our record would be at least 5 wins better at this point.

[DS5]

1 hour ago, Spud2Nique said:

If we keep this roster going forward with no trades, we are lucky to get out of the first round imo.

 

For as bad as we have looked on many games so far, I do think that we are better built for the playoffs than the regular season. If everyone's healthy (i.e. Thabo), I can see us making a deep playoff run as long as we don't see the Cavs until the ECF. 

[REHawksFan]

17 minutes ago, Sothron said:

This is what gets me the most. We've done the hard work in having a good PG to go with two good front court players. If we got anything like consistent average play from our SF and SG our record would be at least 5 wins better at this point.

Wait.....so you're saying they've completed the process of transitioning from a team with nothing but Wings to a team devoid of Wings?  Damn.  Where's Billy Knight when you need him. 

[REHawksFan]

10 minutes ago, DS5 said:

For as bad as we have looked on many games so far, I do think that we are better built for the playoffs than the regular season. If everyone's healthy (i.e. Thabo), I can see us making a deep playoff run as long as we don't see the Cavs until the ECF. 

I would agree if they had a go to scorer for late in games.  As it is, they just don't have consistent scoring to beat the better teams in the playoffs, imo. 

[Sothron]

21 minutes ago, REHawksFan said:

Wait.....so you're saying they've completed the process of transitioning from a team with nothing but Wings to a team devoid of Wings?  Damn.  Where's Billy Knight when you need him. 

If we had prime Joe Johnson on this team we'd be a Finals favorite.

[REHawksFan]

23 minutes ago, Sothron said:

If we had prime Joe Johnson on this team we'd be a Finals favorite.

Or Melo.  Or Jimmy B. Or Kawhi. Or Rudy (a guy I wanted til he went down).  Alas.....none of them fools are walking through our door.  But can I AT LEAST get a Dano or Wilson?  Pretty please?  I'm resorting to begging now.....

Edited February 16, 2017 by REHawksFan

[HawkItus]

considering the injuries and god awful losing streak.......

 

A B +

[Dnice]

My thoughts are they are just average.

[Guest]

Current state of the Hawks in my humble opinion...

[Lurker]

Tim Hardaway Jr has flat saved the team in at least two games (in that if he wasn't there, the team was going to lose both games by at least 10), and there are a number of other games that can make you go "how the heck did the team win this". The 4 OT game vs the Knicks comes to mind, and finishing on a 12-0 run vs Portland in OT is another.

[benhillboy]

In past years I would analyze all types of stats and sh$t.  All I can say this year is they're a "good" team.  Likely 3 or 4 games better had Thabo, Splitter, and Mike been healthy and/or not in litigation.

I respect everyone's opinion but I can't fathom how this team is somehow "built for the playoffs."  They're primed for another epic first round thumping like the infamous Orlando series a few years back.  I can remember maybe 2 regular season blowouts for the 60 win team and they limped all through the playoffs.  How is this regularly-mopped team gonna improve play when the intensity ramps up?

Ironically, bringing Dwight here was/is/will be an epic failure.  If it was ownership's job to boost attendance and interest, we're 29th in the league (23rd last year). If it was management's job to boost rebounding, we're still below average as a team.  

I rock with Bud all day but fear he's either burning out and/ or way in over his head with the front office duties as evidenced by resigning Baze.  He may have had delusions that thr awesome start to his head coaching career would somehow maintain itself like the Spurs' dominance.  I'm sure he's well aware now that their hierarchy on and off the floor is vastly superior and he's gotta be much better.  Opposing coaches have made the proper adjustments to his schemes and like Pop, he has to be one step ahead (or two or three).  One easy fix is to stop all your top assistants from bolting.

Edited February 17, 2017 by benhillboy